Re: Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger
 

Dan still has the car and is planning on running it as soon as he works out a gas pedal problem.

Re: Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger
 

No, he still has it but is thinking of putting it in Garlits museum .

I just traded him a '63 Dodge wagon that he is going to restore as his first max wedge race car.

Re: Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger
 

The difference is that these cars were built on the assembly line and anyone with $3,800.00 could buy one. I drove mine on the street and raced it at Atco btw: I drove it to the track until I broke a rear end.

Re: Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger
 

Lot's of new Government regulations since then. It is really not a fair to compare the "streetability" of a 1963 factory race car to a 2008 factory race car. If you really compared both, you would probably find that the late models have way better street manners. I would also say that $3,800.00 was a bunch of money for a car in 1963.

Re: Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger
 

The online cost-of-living calculator that I use says that $3800 in 1963 was equal to $26,835.95 in 2008. No guarantee of accuracy, but it's probably pretty close.


Bill

Re: Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger
 

I'm not sure what the definition of a "factory race car" is, these cars were just like Chevy 409's, 421 Pontiacs, and 427 Fords.....you ordered the car then chose the engine option....just like today!

Yes, they were a bear to drive in the cold, got bad gas mileage, and were hot inside but that was a Golden time when everyone wanted the baddest street car in town. Street racing was at it's pinnacle and everyone wanted to be the fastest!

Yes, it was a bunch of money but you could finance the car just like any other and it was still $ 1k less than a corvette and had almost a hundred hp more.

Tree

Re: Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger
 

The attributes of a Max-Wdge car is not the issue. The issue is that it was a factory built, purpose built race car that was eligible for Stock Eliminator. That would be an argument FOR the CJ500 '08 Mustang in the same class.
Then I posted about the 1968 only 440 "M" code Dart. Same story, fully streetable (although less built than the MW cars) but NHRA mandated as Superstock only.
Typically, NHRA has made all the purpose built factory drag-pack style cars SS only but as you can see, there are some inconsistancies over the years.
It is what it is...

Re: Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger
 

And a thousand or so more pounds to carry.....lol

Re: Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger
 

I would define a purpose built race car from the factory as one without warranty & / or not DOT legal for use on public roads and highways.